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Tuesday January 12, 2010 ~ 24 Comments
Over the past couple of years there has been a lot of passionate discussion about inappropriate language in the pulpit. Of course some preachers do use language they shouldn't when preaching the word, while others aren't using language they should (maybe we'll make another post on that one). I hope we can agree that God does care about the words we use. Positively, we are called to speak the truth with grace, correcting and reproving one another when needed, and encouraging one another as the day of the Lord draws near. On the negative side, God forbids the misuse of words by way of blasphemy, heresy, lies, gossip, slander, and flattery. These are, I think, relatively easy to spot and most of us would agree such speech has no place on the tongues of God's people. But, I think more needs to be said. In fact, more has been said. Unfortunately, it has often been little more than spoof texting without real dialog. I'd like us to consider a few of the popular passages that are relevant to this issue and find some direction. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Paul's point regarding godly and ungodly speech is not that some words are never to be used, but that the spiritual and social impact of our words matter, and we must use our words for the glory of God and the good of people. Now some people use these verses to call words they find distasteful out of bounds. Others ignore these verses and speak without much serious thought about the context or true usefulness of their words. I'd like to offer a little pastoral advice to all Christians, especially those who labor in teaching and preaching. My advice is simple. Be careful with your words. You only have so many to use in your upcoming sermon, so choose them wisely. Those words may comprise your very last sermon. Have you considered that? What words will be most useful in communicating truth, and the gospel? What words will help you best uncover man's hypocrisy, stubbornness and idolatry while pointing them to the hope of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus? Your words should be appropriate for your audience and context, they should clarify truth, expose error and exalt Jesus. If you are a teacher, then you are not a child, so don't speak like one. Be thoughtful, provocative, and clear. Know your audience. Do not use words that will interfere with the message you are called by God to communicate, but do not neglect to use words that will arrest their attention and display the significance of the message. Of course, I welcome your thoughts on the subject in the comments. Stick to the issue, my friends. Choose your words wisely, and make the discussion profitable. Posted on January 12, 2010 at 9:32 AM ~ 24 Comments 24 CommentsLeave a comment |
  
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Awesome! I love how you approached the whole issue from a biblical standpoint.
It is not a simple issue but very important as we seek to connect and communicate.
Wrote on this for our church a small bit in August: http://www.powerofchange.org/blog/2009/8/1/watch-your-mouth.html
This actually has been something that God has really worked on me about in the last year and especially as of lately between seeing a couple books/sermons (Piper/Chan) about communicating and re-living things that I have said while speaking to students and adults. The verses you provided are the some of the same that I had set on my dash while driving and calling people ignorant or idiot. These same verses God has brought back to mind about my communicating or even my tweets that I post on twitter. Honestly, I had a disconnect between my car and the stage. Carelessness of words has the potential to destroy our journey that we take followers and outsiders to the principles that we teach from the Word. I found myself blogging about the same thing yesterday after couple conversations that I had with people in my local Starbucks. Did I maintain integrity of the Jesus to those people with what I said or didn't say? Rolling across this post is just another affirmation from God that I need to be more slow and wise with my words. Thanks!
Interesting -- I've just been thinking about this topic over the past few days. Not sure why. Maybe I need to pay more attention to the words I use and even more attention to what I mean by the words I use. Thanks.
The verse that often stops me cold dead in my tracks is Matthew 12:36-37.
I am troubled that this is actually being debated at all in some circles. Jesus engaged culture by being Himself and speaking Spirit-saturated words that penetrated past the sham of legalism and selfishness.
If I am going to be held accountable for every idle word I speak (and I know I already have volumes of those), then why add more nonsense to the mix. The character of Christ must manifest in word and deed. Any attempt on my part to divorce one fro the other will only hinder my ability to reach others for Jesus.
There isn't anything that I fundamentally disagree with in the post. However, what this usually turns into is one group of people telling another group of people what is appropriate. As long as the individual gets to make their own decisions about appropriateness and there is not some list of words somewhere or when there is a violation the person offended actually goes to the person that offended them and handles it privately and appropriately then I am all for it. But when John McArthur castigates Mark Driscoll years after Mark Driscoll has already repented and changed his language, then it is about cultural differences or making points with your own people, not about preserving the gospel.
I don't think beating a dead horse is the same as what Ed is talking about. Macarthur should know better than that and frankly, I didn't think much of his ranting other than kicking up dust.
But list or no list, everyone has to judge what they say and how they say it by the Spirit of Jesus, His character, and His Word. If our motives and intentions are right, then "lists" don't really come into play except for those who have issues with certain words.
Though I'm older than dirt; I'm still primarily a youth guy; and I, too, have blown it in this regard...unintentionally, but still. There are some who seem to intentionally try to shock/provoke etc merely with words; but I try to regularly repeat the prayer, "Lord, set a watch over my lips..."
I especially like your words..."If you are a teacher, then you are not a child, so don't speak like one." God uses the pastors and teachers to help build His body, if our language is childish or vulgar or immature, how do we help build spiritual maturity into the body?
I am all for relevance and reaching the culture, but I cannot buy into the notion that we need to speak like the world to reach the world. I used to be a bartender, but those folks don't need another person who emulates their world of sin and death. We need to speak words of life & hope & peace. We are smart enough to speak intelligently and righteously while we relate to the lost.
This is a great post. I remember using the phrase "pissed off" in seminary during a sermon in my preaching lab. It was an advanced preach class on preaching to the unchurched. Our prof was an old hippie who had been beaten in Mississippi in the 60's and was part of the original Peace Corp. In many ways I was trying to impress him with how edgy I was. After the message he said to the whole class he remembers nothing that I said because of the phrase I used. He then proceeded to say, what I will never forget: "If you can't say a good word about Jesus, sit down. And if you saying anything that gets in the way, don't say it." Needless to say I did not grade well in that class!
The question which I believe we need to ask ourselves sounds something like - "When I've said this, am I calling attention to me or does it call attention to the Word?"
Clear Gospel can be preached without shock. And while "I" may not intend to shock or offend, ultimately it's up to my hearers to decide. If I'm using language which is causing them to focus on me rather than keep their focus on Jesus, I better comb through my notes to clear out any potential pebbles which would cause them to stumble. It's for their sake, not mine.
The question which I believe we need to ask ourselves sounds something like - "When I've said this, am I calling attention to me or does it call attention to the Word?"
Clear Gospel can be preached without shock. And while "I" may not intend to shock or offend, ultimately it's up to my hearers to decide. If I'm using language which is causing them to focus on me rather than keep their focus on Jesus, I better comb through my notes to clear out any potential pebbles which would cause them to stumble. It's for their sake, not mine.
Good read, thanks for the sharing.
Ed,
This is a very appropriate subject for today. I am not sure what your target is but there are many paths this discussion should take.
The first thing that came to my mind was the use of vulgar language or profanity in the pulpit by pastors such as the one in the Northwest. I understand he has repented of this but others may still think that is the cool thing to do. It seems like the attempt was to be relevant or to appeal to others that use that type of language. I think there is a danger of offending more people than you attract. Also if this is not something you approve for continued use in their Christian life why use it to attract them? Does the use of this language honor God?
Ed, you have some connection to LIfeway I believe. In the January lessons in one of the books on Ruth, Ralph West used language that was offensive to some. While this may be okay for him to use in his church, I wonder if the editors at Lifeway were wise to allow this to be presented across the SBC. It seems his description of Naomi and Ruth and her relation to Boaz was not only factually suspect but not appropriate for a broad audience. Your thoughts?
Another problem for us in the SBC has been the longtime use of the terms moderate/liberal in a slanderous and dishonest manner. This would include at many pastor's conferences. We seem to have forgotten Eph. 4:29 and Col. 3:8 that you quote. I am always amazed that those who claim to be inerrantist could have so little regard for obeying the Bible they claim is true.
Geoff,
Reid, interesting writing. Thanks for sharing it.
Geoff, I used the word "crap" in my first sermon in college (at a local / older rural church). Thought it would make a point-- believing this is "crap." Nobody heard anything else that day!
Nate, "Clear gospel can be preached without shock."
Ed
It is not just the language in the pulpit. Whatever is in a man comes out. We ought to be people that don't use filthy language inside or outside the pulpit.
Josh Hunt
www.joshhunt.com
It is not just the language in the pulpit. Whatever is in a man comes out. We ought to be people that don't use filthy language inside or outside the pulpit.
Josh Hunt
www.joshhunt.com
I would only add that "filthy" requires context, culture and intent of the speaker - not simply "these are the 15 filthy words on a list in heaven"
Most don't even think about this and just judge people and their speech from their prior cultural experiences or what they were taught.
Ed, not sure of your meaning by "interesting" ;)
I have been a missionary overseas for more than 25 years. When I come back and hear pastors using bad language in the pulpit I about fainted. Be real are the words damn, hell and pissed off biblical examples of what Jesus would do?
It's been my observation for a long time that when a preacher feels a need to "shock talk" he is thinking more about himself, than his message, or the people receiving it.
And, when a preacher does unleash an inappropriate word in most instances the point he was trying to make is long forgotten, but the memory of the language used never is, so, what' the point of using any kind of foul language in a sermon?
I disagree that offensive talk is to never be used. Jesus used offensive talk several times intentionally. Brood of Vipers? Eat my flesh, drink my blood? It's all about context.
Michael beat me to it.
Jesus and all the prophets before him said things that were shocking and caused people to stop listening. When Amos called the women of Bashan cows, when Jesus calls the religious leaders children of the devil, that is shocking and offensive to them.
So, should I then drop the f-bomb in my sermons? Probably not. If I'm shocking people just to get a reaction, that's not helpful or godly. But if I am speaking a prophetic word (I am compelled to speak the word of God), then I'm more concerned with being faithful to the message than being careful to not offend people.
John MacArthur & Pretrib Rapture
Who knows, maybe John (Reformedispy) MacArthur is right and the greatest Greek scholars (Google "Famous Rapture Watchers"), who uniformly said that Rev. 3:10 means PRESERVATION THROUGH, were wrong. But John has a conflict. On the one hand, since he knows that all Christian theology and organized churches before 1830 believed the church would be on earth during the tribulation, he would like to be seen as one who stands with the great Reformers. On the other hand, if John has a warehouse of unsold pretrib rapture material, and if he wants to have "security" for his retirement years and hopes that the big California quake won't louse up his plans, he has a decided conflict of interest. Maybe the Lord will have to help strip off the layers of his seared conscience which have grown for years in order to please his parents and his supporters - who knows? One thing is for sure: pretrib is truly a house of cards and is so fragile that if a person removes just one card from the TOP of the pile, the whole thing can collapse. Which is why pretrib teachers don't dare to even suggest they could be wrong on even one little subpoint! Don't you feel sorry for the straitjacket they are in? While you're mulling all this over, Google "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" for a rare behind-the-scenes look at the same 180-year-old fantasy.